PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Google Chrome to Start Blocking Intrusive Ads Worldwide

Google first launched this feature in February 2018 in North America and Europe. The filter, which is going global in July, removes only the most intrusive, annoying types of ads that violate the Coalition for Better Ads' standards.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Google Chrome's build-in ad blocker is going global this summer.

Starting on July 9, "Chrome will expand its user protections and stop showing all ads on sites in any country that repeatedly display[s] … disruptive ads," Chrome Senior Director of Product Ben Galbraith wrote in a Wednesday blog post.

Google first launched this feature in February, but only in North America and Europe. The filter removes only the most intrusive, annoying types of ads that violate the Coalition for Better Ads' standards, as outlined in the image below. That includes pop-up ads, full-page prestitial ads with countdown timers that block you from seeing content on the page for a certain amount of time, auto-play videos ads with sound, and large sticky ads that stay on the page even when you scroll, among others.

Chrome ad blocker

Beginning today, website owners in areas outside North America and Europe can use Google's Ad Experience Report tool to check whether they have any unacceptable ads on their sites.

"Our ultimate goal is not to filter ads, but to build a better web for everyone, everywhere," Galbraith wrote. He added that fewer than 1 percent of the millions of sites reviewed to date have had their ads removed. As of the start of this year, two-thirds of publishers who at one time did not comply with the industry-developed standards now do.

"Chrome's enforcement of the Coalition's standards has inspired many website owners to improve the advertising experience on their sites in a way that benefits users," Galbraith wrote.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

Read full bio